


Making Amends

by DryerLynnt



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Apologies, New Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23724100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DryerLynnt/pseuds/DryerLynnt
Summary: Bede can't go back to Ballonlea until he has Hop's forgiveness. Hop is a powerful and forgiving trainer. Bede hopes for a brighter future.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	Making Amends

Dry grass crunches beneath Bede’s cotton candy colored shoes. He’s not sure why he came all the way out to the country side, but he knows it’s for a reason. He hears a vaguely familiar voice ahead of him, encouraging him to begin searching for a reason. His legs carried him here, but for what? To do good? To do bad? To repent or to get revenge? It’s on the tip of his tongue, but just barely beyond his reach. Something about repaying someone for something.

Finally, the rolling hills bow out of the way to reveal one darker skinned, purple haired trainer, sitting cross legged while a group of pokemon prance and play in the golden fields. He’s laughing, telling his Dubwool what a silly pokemon it was. It’s like a painting, or a scene out of a children’s book. For a brief moment, it looks like heaven. Bede surveys the pokemon one by one. First, of course, the Dubwool, which was rolling in a circle around the boy. Then a Snorlax, which was soaking up the final rays the sun had to offer before it sank below the earth. A Pincurchin, which didn’t really do much of anything but give off a playful spark occasionally. A Cinderace and a Corviknight, who were chasing each other up and down the field. And finally-

Oh, shit. That’s impossible.

Zamazenta? A legendary pokemon of myth? And it was rolled into its back whining at the trainer for attention. Then that means, the trainer Hop, who Bede had antagonized so cruelly during their gym challenge, has tamed the legendary beast. He’s a fine trainer then, to earn the respect and trust of such a powerful companion.

Bede knew what he had come here for. He was wrong. Hop never slandered Leon’s name. Bede was just so afraid and…

Save the explaining for Hop. Bede swallowed, looking up to Hatterene for support. She stared back blankly at him. Either she didn’t know or didn’t care about what Bede had to sacrifice to make things right. It was more than just his pride. A deep breath, and Bede is heading down the hill.

“H-Hey, uh, Hop…” Bede stutters as he approaches, one hand raised in the air.

Hop turns with a smile, one which quickly vanishes when his eyes lie upon Bede. He turns away with hardly any acknowledgement. It’s only when Bede gets closer that he speaks.

“I won’t battle you, Bede,” Hop mentions flatly, not bothering to turn away from Zamazenta. “There’s nothing you can say to make me.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” Bede replies, sheepishly. “I have something important to say.”

Hop turns, his brow quirked in annoyance. His gaze is cold and empty, as if he were looking at a piece of garbage on the ground. Taking some unspoken hint, his nearest pokemon leave to play with the others. The two boys are completely alone now.

“I, uh, well, I’m…” Bede has to stop with a sigh, then try again. His tongue felt like lead, his lips iron bars through which no words could escape. “Hop, I’m sorry. About what I said. And did.”

“What do you have to be sorry for? Maybe you were right,” Hop turns again back to his pokemon, watching them play happily. “I’ve decided to become a pokemon professor. I’m not fit to train for a career.”

“That’s not true,” Bede admits, the words jumping from his mouth as if he didn’t struggle to speak moments ago. “You’re a great trainer. You made it to the finals in the gym challenge. You helped defeat Eternatus and end the Darkest Day. You tamed Zamazenta, a legendary pokemon. Hop, please, forgive me.”

Bede can’t help himself when he falls to his knees, his face pointed to the ground. Some invisible force holds him there, even when his face goes red from shame. Hatterene scoffs and retreats to her pokeball, uncomfortable with the strong emotions wafting off her trainer like a cheap perfume.

“Bede, you beat me,” Hop points out calmly. Personality has seeped back into his voice, if only a little. “Every time. The only reason I made it to finals is because you got kicked out. You should have taken my place.”

“That’s not true. Please, Hop, I’m sorry,” Bede is borderline begging. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if Hop refuses his apology. Certainly not go back to Ballonlea. He doesn’t feel like he can until Hop forgives him. “Everything I said and did to you were wrong. I want to make it up to you. I want to be better. Please.”

Hop’s eyes are wide when he faces him again. He stands and walks to Bede. He waits in front of him, waiting for Bede to look him in the eye. Finally, Bede musters the courage to look at him. His face is soft and concerned, not angry like he expected.

“It’s not a proper apology until you look me in the eye and say it,” Hop informs him. He’s got a playful tone that gives Bede hope.

Bede stands, takes a moment to brush the grass from his knees, and looks Hop in the eye dutifully, trying to stop himself from shaking. Just how many times did Hop want him to repeat himself?

“Hop, I am so, so sorry for what I said and did to you during the gym challenge. I was wrong, and I want to make it up to you. I was just scared that I would disappoint Chairman Rose, and I suppose I did, but I should never have taken it out on you.”

“You know,” Hop smiles. It’s a tired kind of smile, but it’s genuine, and Bede appreciates that. “After what Rose did, word spread of you and where you had come from. I don’t blame you for being desperate like that. Please remember that you didn’t disappoint Rose. Rose betrayed all of us. He betrayed you. You’re not the problem anymore.”

Anymore. For no justifiable reason, that word is powerful. It echoes across the fields and across Bede’s mind. It means change is happening. It means change has happened already. Bede can grow, and leave Rose behind. He can’t stop himself when he leaps forward and wraps his arms around the trainer before him. So powerful, so kind. Hop was everything Bede wanted to become. He wonders briefly if Hop had ever been anybody’s role model.

Hop returns the hug, and before Bede realizes what’s happening, tears roll down his face and he’s muttering thank yous into the fur of Hop’s jacket. Hop smiles, but Bede can’t see it.

“If you really want to make it up to me, you can come back to the research lab and dust all of the books and shelves so I don’t have to.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by an ask on my tumblr.  
> My tumblr is pokemonswshbutionlyplayedsword


End file.
